Flasher suspect arrested in Mira Mesa

San Diego  A man suspected of exposing himself to at least seven school girls in Mira Mesa, Rancho Peñasquitos and Rancho Bernardo was arrested by San Diego detectives who walked with two alleged victims in hopes of finding him, police said Thursday.

Police did not release the name of the 52-year-old Escondido man, who was taken into custody on Monday. He later bailed out of jail, police Lt. Andra Brown said.

In incidents reported since Jan. 8, 2010, a man would approach teenage girls walking to school, or call to them to attract their attention, pull down his pants and expose himself, police said.

The incidents occurred near Rancho Bernardo and Mira Mesa high schools, and Black Mountain Middle School and Westview High in Rancho Peñasquitos. On Jan. 31, a man drove a metallic-blue car on Poblado Road in Rancho Bernardo, got out and exposed himself to a girl about 6:30 a.m., and half an hour later exposed himself to another girl on Calle Saucillo.

Police composite sketch of man who exposed himself to girls in Rancho Bernardo and Mira Mesa.— Courtesy SDPD

Police composite sketch of man who exposed himself to girls in Rancho Bernardo and Mira Mesa.
/ Courtesy SDPD

On March 15, he exposed himself to a girl near Mira Mesa High and left before she could dig a camera from her purse to take his picture, Brown said. The girl told police it was the third time he had flashed her.

He was described as a white man in his mid-50s, 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet tall, thin, with graying or white hair. His four-door car had an orange blanket on the back seat.

Shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, a female plainclothes detective walked two victims toward Mira Mesa High School, with a male detective nearby. They saw a man matching the flasher’s description drive by in a blue car, and the girls recognized him, police said. Officers arrested the man.

Police said there may be additional cases not yet reported to investigators. Police asked that anyone with information related to the cases contact Detective Malacha Fuller at (858) 538-8000 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.